Illinois Ag Leadership Interns: Summer Interns Get to Work

I spent the summer doing many different things. from redoing my sign box, to making field signs, and grower researcher prospecting.

WBQA

I've spent the majority of my time with Wisconsin Beef Quality Assurance editing and putting together days and days of video footage that has been taken over the years from various farm visits.  I've been working on everything from current event tips and topics such as early and fence-line weaning, proper cattle handling techniques, and even virtual farm tours.

Below is an example of one I put together on the ease and importance of record keeping, and how one organic beef producer does it.

Farm Technology Days 2012

          One of the highlights of my internship with Wisconsin Beef Quality Assurance was participating in Farm Technology Days.  Farm Tech Days is a three-day outdoor event that showcases the latest improvements in production agriculture.  Each year, it is held in a different county in Wisconsin on a different host family farm.  Visitors get the opportunity to see and talk with more than 600 commercial and educational exhibitors in Tent City.  Exhibitors are there from all over the Midwest showcasing machinery, equipments, facilities, products, and service needs.  This year, Farm Tech Days was held in New Berlin, Wisconsin.  My fellow intern and I were in charge of the Holstein Feeder Display in the beef tent showcasing various different breeds of beef cattle.  It was great meeting people from all over the midwest and being able to answer their questions regarding the display.  It was also the first year the Holstein breed has been represented in the beef tent, which is huge for Wisconsin dairy producers who are starting to utilize their Holstein steers as feeders.

[This was our display in the beef tent prior to the grounds opening]

[Not only was their information about each breed in the beef tent, but there was also animals there representing!]

[Team USA!]

I have one more week here at the extension office! As I look back on all the miles and hours I have spent at the county fairs, camps, and meetings the one thing I can say I have improved upon is patience and photography skills. This summer I was the official picture taker at any event we had. I can know look back and see how much I have improved! This week I had the unique opportunity to be a dead body for our csi/forensics workshop. I never thought I could have so much fun. I helped the kids learn about different blood spatter types, blood types, fingerprinting, and helped them get into their detective mode. While the camp was fun, I have to buckle down and put the finishing touches on my project for next Tuesday the 14th. The program is now at capacity with t-shirts ordered. All I have left to do is order the food and arrive on the 14th with a shining face. I am excited to see how much the 4-H members will learn about local government!!



While I was looking through pictures and doing press releases, I made a video of all the moments captured during my time here at the extension office.

Illinois Corn: My Final Week

Good Morning my fellow Ag Leaders,

As my internship is wrapping up with only 2 more days left I am looking forward to be back on the Illinois campus.  Senior year awaits!! As the other intern and I are still wrapping up our final projects, we foresee to be done with all of our projects later this afternoon.

Reflecting on my internship I realize I have learned a lot through this experience.  Not only about Illinois Corn but also myself.  Haven this been my first full time work experience it was great to get a taste of what my future will look like in only a short year away (hopfully).  I would also say I am a corn aficionado.  

I had two blogs posted on the Illinois Corn website this last few weeks, and one was even featured.  You can check it out at The Beef with Meatless Mondays: Leah Wilkening.  This week we focused on agriculture promotional material through videos. As video creation is almost to obviously not my forte, I have learned a lot about how to utilize the program and am now a proficient mac user.  As the other intern and I have made what seems like hundreds of short video clips (32 to be exact) we continuously update the YouTube channel on the Illinois Corn website. 

This morning I created a short clip regarding the epic drought that has made Illinois corn something to talk about.  As it hasn’t been posted yet to our channel, I’m offering you an exclusive view, oh the excitement! 2012 Midwest Corn Drought

As I wrap up my time here at Illinois Corn Marketing Board, I am grateful for the experience and the opportunities it has opened to me.  Look forward to seeing ya'll this August.  

Monday July 30,2012

Good Afternoon!

I have been spending my summer keeping busy at the Macoupin/Jersey 4-H offices. I have been in charge of fairs, clean-ups, science and babysitting camps. I have even had the opportunity to be a judge and superintendent for some of the shows. My biggest project this summer is the program I have created for local youth to shadow the county board. I have taken this from an idea  and transformed it into a program. I have had to make flyer's, applications, t-shirts, radio and newspaper articles. I have cooped with the Macoupin County Board and have been working directly with their financial coordinator, Gabe Springer. I had the participants recognized during their county fair as well! The program will take flight on August 14th, 2012. Lately I have been helping with our science and technology camps. I have helped the members make ice cream, brush bots, and Lego robots. My favorite to help with was the homemade ice cream. I have enjoyed spending my summer at the office and it saddens me that the time is flying so quickly!!

Above are the ladies who have turned in applications for my shadowing program in August. They are from left to right: Victoria Buck, Shelby Albert, Meghan Wolff, and Michael Halpin.

Above are a few of the kids who participated in the science and technology camp last week in Jersey County. They are holding their homemade ice cream they made. From left to right: Elizabeth, Emma Brandon, Grace Sharich, and Emma Sharich.

Illinois Corn

Everything is going well here in Bloomington Il at the Illinois Corn Marketing Board.  We just finished up a fun filled weekend in Joliet doing ethanol promotions for NASCAR.  Here we got to use a t-shirt gun to throw Family Farmers t-shirts into the crowd and give out information about Illinois Corn as well as American ethanol.  I am also keeping busy creating a video for a video competition called Ethanol Rocks.  Updating social media, and other duties as assigned keep me busy too.  We also visit places such as AgRail where grain is hauled by train to collect media footage.  This picture here is me at One Earth Energy in Gibson City learning about distiller grains.  Internship is going well but also looking forward to school to start back up!